The Crête du Puy is a ridge above the village of Lesches-en-Diois, the scene of the spectacular fireworks on 15 August every year (pandemics aside). I’d been told it has fantastic views in all directions, so for our final walk of the holiday, this was our destination. The forecast was ambivalent about whether/when showers might come in, but with their likelihood being later, we hotwheeled it to Lesches, and set off up the mountain.

Starting at about 1000m in Lesches, it was only a (mostly) gentle 500m ascent to the ridge: once there, indeed, there were views in every direction, to the Glandasse and beyond, to Dévoluy to the east, the Trois Becs to the west, and Valdrôme to the south: As the walk went on, storm clouds gradually edged down from the north, but in the end the drama of thundery rain started just as we reached the car for the drive home, having given us the pleasure of observing its threatening darkness for the last part of this most excellent stroll.

And since I’ve already provided you with my departure photo, and I’m up to date with my homework, the blog will estivate (well, I don’t think one can etymologically call a summer lull ‘hibernation’) until my return to Romeyer (all being well) at the end of July. If you do Facebook, I’ll keep posting stuff on un anglais en diois, though you’ll either have to put up with my French, or Facebook’s rather weird translations of my efforts!

If you know a bit of French, and are worried about the title of this post, fear not… it’s the name of a prominent hill near the top of the Quint Valley. I’ve no idea why it’s got the name (it looks nothing like a head, male or female), but that’s what it’s called, and the three of us walked to it on Saturday. Gradually I’m ticking off some of the ‘landmark’ hills I’ve seen many times from roads, and whilst I have a car (and this time, friends, to share it with), it’s too good an opportunity to miss.

As you see, it’s yet another stunner, circling around the massive pastures of Plateau d’Ambel, which will soon be stocked with cattle and sheep. But for now, just walkers and wildlife, and the odd farmer doing maintenance, were in evidence. Despite the thick haze, the views were still stunning!

I’m aware that I’ve not completely caught up with the last couple of days of our holiday yet… we seemed to spend too much time walking, eating, talking and laughing for me to finish my homework on time.

Anyway, apart from a 90-minute delay to our flight from Lyon, everything else today worked fine: easy drive in the hire car along the western flank of Vercors before heading west to Lyon, the car hire return was done in a flash, and everything in both airports bucked the trend for meltdowns.

So, for now, a last look back at home before departure!

Apologies, I’ve got slightly behind with posting…

So, back to Friday, and our one group bike ride! John borrowed the Cannondale CAAD3 bike I bought from someone in Romeyer, and Helen hired a electric-assisted road bike from Vélodrôme bike shop. Following mostly bac roads, we trundled sedately to Laval d’Aix, St Roman, Châtillon, Menglon and Recoubeau. I’ll admit I rather let down the ‘group ride’ ethos right at the end, as there was a stonking tailwind coming back from Recoubeau along the beautifully empty main road, and I couldn’t resist a quick blast. Thankfully, Helen & John let me off for my misbehaviour. But then they have known me for forty years…

Today we largely forwent feet, and made good use of the hire car to cover more miles and get in some of the further-flung sights & sites: I wanted Helen and John to see the amazing Combe Laval, and as John is a glider, currently reading Paddy Ashdown’s great book on Vercors in World War 2, we stopped at the Nécropole at Vassieux, with its wartime German glider, en route.

Then the return was via Léoncel and its abbey, Gigors, for its view, and Gorges d’Omblèze and the Gervanne river for the coolth of the running water and the beauty of their locations. We might just have accidentally had a rather nice lunch in la Taverne in St Jean-en-Royans. Oops.

It was almost exactly five years ago that I brought my late mum to Vallon de Combeau – although she didn’t walk very far up the valley from the car park, it gave a real taste of the floral riches of this very special spot, and so today it was delight to return, this time with university friends John & Helen, to do a much longer walk (as far as Tête Chevalière, where I’d never ventured to before), but again to take in both the scenery, flora and fauna.

I’ll just give you a taste here (many more photos on the Facebook Page), but, suffice to say, this was just one of the most incredible walks you can imagine: orchids galore, meadows full of wild flowers, marmots, ibexes, linnets, Alpine choughs, vultures, and views to take your breath away (quite apart from the 600m ascent!)